A Jharkhand court recently fined Union Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi for violating the election code of conduct during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The court heard the matter under Section 130e of the People’s Representative Act (Prohibition against exhibiting notices or signs near polling stations) and 11 witnesses testified before the court.
On May 13, 2019, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) activist Mahesh Ram filed a complaint against Annapurna Devi for wearing the BJP party symbol inside a polling booth.
The court found the charges to be true after hearing the witnesses and convicted Annapurna Devi.
The court imposed a Rs 200 fine as a penalty. Failure to pay the fine would result in a single day in jail.
However, Navneesh Sinha, Annapurna Devi’s lawyer, stated that she would appeal the court’s decision to a higher court.
